Lubricating apparatus



Patented Oct. 11, 1932 "UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE A ERNEST W. DAVIS, 01' OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO AIIEMITE CORPORATION, OF

' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LUBBICATING APPARATUS Application filed we... 21, 1929. Serial in. 401,054.

My invention relates generally to lubricant compressors, commonly called grease guns, which are used to force lubricant under high 4 pressure into fittings attached to hearings to 5 be lubricated. More particularly my invention relates to improvements in high pressure guns of the type'in which the connection with the fitting and the compression of thelubricant are accomplished by a single lon itudinal movement of the compressor hanille toward the lubricant receiving fitting.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved grease gun of the above 'mentioned type which has a high pressure cylmmeans for priming the high pressure cylinder.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved grease gun containing a spiral, or helical conveyor to advance-lubrcant to.-

the high pressure discharge cylinder .for priming same for the next stroke. a

A further object of my invention is to provide novel and improved means for rotating the barrel of the grease gun during a discharge stroke, thereby to compress lubricant for charging the high pressure cyl nder.

A further object is to provide a grease gun which is easily operated, positive in its action and which may be easily manufactured and assembled.

Other objects and advantages will'appear from the following descript on, reference being-had to the accompanying drawing, in which: v 1 1 Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal the rease gun; 9

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary tion of the gun; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1'. I

In the embodiment of my invention. illustrated in the drawing I have shown a 'grease gun having a barrel 4 substantially cylindrical in shape, closed at its upper end by a cap 6 and converging at its lower end to a smaller cylindrically shaped portion 8 that is internally threaded as shown at 14 'to receive a high pressure cylinder 12. A nozzle 16 is se cured to the lower end of cylinder 12 and carside view-of-a porder and piston and a simple and effective closing the end of the bore of the cylinder.

The upper end of cylinder 12 extends into the reducedportion 8 of the grease gun barrel 4. K A plurality of inlet ports 20 are rovided near the upper end of cylinder 12. plun er 22 for dischai ging lubricant under high ressure enters the end of cylinder 12 and 1S normally held in the position shown in the drawing (Fig. 1) by a, compression spring 24 positioned between ashoulder 26 formed by boss 10 and a fixed washer 28 resting against a. shoulder 29 of plunger rod 30.

Plunger rod 30 is square in cross-section (see Fig. 3) for a purpose which will later be apparent, and extends up through cap 6, carrying a pawl supporting collar 32 and provided at its upper end with an operating handle 34. a

Rod 30 is guided in a sleeve 36 also square in cross-section, which bears at its lower end against washer 28 and is provided at its upper end with a flange 38, a reduced portion 39 and a threaded portion 40. Reduced portion 39 passes through an, aperture 42 in cap 6 and forms an annular bearing therefor, the sleeve being held against longitudinal movement between flange 38 and a cap nut 44 screw-threaded over the end of sleeve 36. A spiral conveyor blade 46' is rigidly fastened to sleeve 36 and so constructed that its peripheral' edge is in close proximity to, the. inner face of the barrel wall.

Pawl and ratchet means for revolving barrel 4 are provided and may comprise the "ratchet-teeth 48 formed upon theupper surface of cap 6, and a pair of pawls 50 carried by supporting collar 32 pinned to the rod 30. lFawls 50 are mounted u on shouldered screws "52 and areprovide with torsion springs 54 for returning the pawls to normal position after each stroke.

To fill the compressor cap 6 is unscrewed and rod 30 with all the elements attached thereto is withdrawn from the barrel. Grease is placed in barrel 4 and conveyor blade 46 is rotated as it is forced into the barrel, in efiect being screw-threaded into the-grease. After cap 6 is securely threaded. into place the gun is ready for operation. The operator,

receiving ceive In 16 against the fitting the spring '26 will force the plunger 22 upwardly, causing a partial vacuum within the cylinder 12. As soon as the plunger clears the ports 20 the grease in the cylindrical portion 8 of the barrel will flow into the cylinder, not only due to the fact that there is a partial vacuum 'inthe cylinder but also due to the fact that the grease in the lower portion of the barrel and in the cylindrical portion 8 thereof is under slight compression. There-is usually a small amount of air entrapped with the grease and this air is slightly compressed as the conveyor blade 46 forces the grease toward the lower end of the barrel. The conveyor and its operating mechanism thus serves as an ade uate means to feed the lubricant from the arrel to the cylinder and to assure rapid and complete rimin ofthe latter.

It will be 0 vious t at the compressor may be filled in other we s than that mentioned, such, for example, as y providing a lubricant fitting in a wall of barrel 4 to rericant under pressure from a suitable source.

It will also be apparent that other means may be provided for revolving the barrel and I do not wish to limit myself to the specific construction shown. This invention is capable of wide variation within equivalent limits and I contemplate such variation as may be desirable or useful in the particular adapta tion of the invention shown, or in its adaptation to other devices. I do not restrict myself in any unessential particulars, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A grease gun including a cylindrical container having a reduced portion at one .end, a high pressures discharge cylinder mounted in said end, said high pressure cylinder-being provided with a discharge nozzle, a plunger reciprocable in said cylinder, a plunger rod extending therefrom through the opposite end f said container, a handle on said rod, a guide sleeve surrounding said rod in said cylinder container, a spiral conveyor blade rigidly secured to said sleeve andextending to the lower end of said barrel, and -pawl and ratchet'means associated with said rod and said container for rotating said 1,eea,ea1

container relative to said conveyor thereby to feed lubricant to said cylinder.

2. A grease gun including a cylindrical container having a reduced portion at one end, a' high pressure discharge cylinder mounted in said'end, said high pressure cylinder being provided with a discharge nozzle, a plungerreciprocable in said cylinder, a plunger rod extending therefrom through the opposite end of said container, ahandle on said rod, a guide sleeve surrounding said rod in said cylinder container, a spiral conveyor blade rigidly attached to said sleeve and extending to the lower end of said barrel, and cooperating means between said rod and said container for rotating said container relative to said conveyor thereby to feed lubricant to said discharge cylinder under pressure.

3. A-high pressure lubricant compressor comprising a barrel, a high pressure cylinder at one end of said barrel and in axial alignment therewith, a plunger in said cylinder, a helical lubricant conveyor rotatably mounted in said barrel'for priming said high pressure cylinder, and common means for manually operating said plunger and said last-named means.

.4. A high pressure lubricant compressor comprising abarrel, a high pressure cylinder at one end of said barrel in axial alignment and in communication therewith. a plunger in said cylinder, a helical conveyor for feeding lubricant from said barrel to said cylinder, and means for reciprocating said plunger and relatively rotating said barrel and conveyor.

5. A high pressure lubricant compressor comprising a barrel, a high pressure cylinder at one end of said barrel in axial alignment and if communication therewith, a plunger in said cylinder, a plunger rod integral therewith and extending through the opposite end of said barrel, a sleeve surrounding said rod in said barrel. a helical blade attached to said sleeve, and means for relatively rotating said barrel and said conveyor blade;

6. A high pressure lubricant compressor comprising a barrel, 9. high pressure cylinder at one end of said barrel in axial alignment and. in communication therewith, a plunger in said cylinder, a plunger rod integral therewith and extending through the opposite end of said barrel, a sleeve surrounding said rod'in said barrel, a helical blade attached to said sleeve. and means for rotating said barrel around said conveyor blade, said means including a ratchet on said compggssor and a pawl carriedby said plunger 7. A high pressure lubricant; compressor a. comprising a barrel, a high pressure cylinder at one end of said barrel, a nozzle carried at the discharge end of said cylinder and adapted to make sealed contact with a lubricant receiving fitting, a plunger reciprocable in said cylinder, a helical conveyor in said barrel and rotatable relative thereto, and common means for reciprocating said plung-' er, causing relative rotation of said barrel and said conveyor, and forcing said nozzle against a lubricant receiving fitting.

8. In a grease gun, the combination of a high pressure lubricant pumping mechanism, with a lubricant reservoir. and a spiral conveyor blade extending the length of said reservoir, responsive to actuation of said pumping mechanism for feeding the grease in the reservoir to said pumping mechanism.

9. In a grease gun, the combination with a compression cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a reservoir, and a helical impeller blade movable about the axis of the reservoir, to form the sole means for feeding the grease therein to said compression cylinder.

10. In a portable hand operated grease gun, the combination of a compression chamber with a compressor element therefor, means for operating said compressorelement, a tubular grease reservoir in communication with said chamber, a helical impeller blade movable responsive to actuation of said compressor element operating means in an annular path about the axis of said reservoir and forming the sole means for feeding the grease contained therein to said compression chamber.

11. In a portable hand operated grease n, the combination of a compression chamr with a compressor element therefor, means for operating said compressor element, a tubular lubricant reservoir in communication with said chamber, a rotatable conveyor comprising a helical blade having an ad vanced face inclined to any plane passing through the axis of the reservoir to compact an engaged body of lubricant contained therein, said blade being movable relativeto said reservoir responsive to actuation of said compressor element operating means for supplying grease to said compression chamber.

12. A high pressure grease gun comprising a barrel having an axial shaft, a helical blade mounted thereon, a high pressure cylinder associated with said barrel and supplied with lubricant therefrom, a plunger carried on said shaft for cooperation with said cylinder, a handle on said shaft for reciprocating said plunger, and means carried on said shaft for rotating said barrel relative to said helical blade simultaneous with the reciprocation of said plunger.

13 In a grease gun, the combination of a lubrlcant reservoir comprising a barrel havlng a shaft therein, lubricant ejecting mechamsm associated with said barrel and supplied with lubricant therefrom comprising a high. pressure cylinder having a plunger carried by said shaft reciprocable in said cylinder,

a helical blade mounted on said shaft for advancing lubricant to the cylinder of the ejecting mechanism, a handle on said shaft for reciprocating said plunger, and means for rotating said barrel relative to said blade simultaneous with the reciprocation of said plunger. Y

14. In a portable hand operated grease gun, the combination of a compression cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein with a reservoir for supplying lubricant to said cylinder, a helical conveyor blade in said reservoir directly engaging the body of grease thereinand forming the sole means for feeding grease to said cylinder, and common manipulative means for effecting the operation of said conveyor blade to feed grease to said cylinder simultaneous with the actuation of said piston.

15. A high pressure lubricant compressor comprising a barrel, a high pressure cylinder at one end of said barrel and in communication therewith, a plunger in said cylinder, a helical conveyor extending the length of said barrel for feeding lubricant therefrom to said cylinder, and means for reciprocating said plunger and relatively moving said conveyor and arrel.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of October, 1929.

ERNEST W. DAVIS. 

